Stan Musial and 57 Topps Team

bunst · #1 03-12-2012, 07:59 AM

My understanding is yes. Contract or not, all players were included in the team cards. I don't believe any individual player received compensation for being on a team card, just cards that they posed for.

Tomman1961 · #2 03-12-2012, 10:21 AM

One of my previous posts talked about 1973 Topps Staub. He had no individual Topps card. I have not looked, but you can be sure he is on the team card. Now, look at Tommie Agee's card. That is clearly Rusty Staub running in from right field. The picture is Shea Stadium. All the fielders are airbrushed from Mets to Astros. Card #420.

Tomman1961 · #3 03-12-2012, 10:34 AM

To elaborate, I remember getting a mailing from a dealer in 1973 when I was 12 years old. It said flat out that RS had contractual agreement problems with Topps, "so no card of him". He does appear on the Mets Team card. OK-- if that was given to Topps by MLB. But-BUT---- Topps clearly uses his "likeness" (flat out a photo of him) on #420.
Go to 1974. No Willie Mays individual card, but he will appear in the WS subset (#473?). I guess they paid Willie for being the subject of THAT card.
I am wondering if there is some kind of clause that Topps does not have to pay you/contract with you, if you "happen" to be in a shot. Like a team pix, or in the background.
1958 Ed Bouchee was pulled, but he appears on the Phillies Team Card.

ALR-bishop · #4 03-12-2012, 11:11 AM

Same issue as the team cards. Topps did not purport to put out a Staub card specific to him in 1973. The fact he appears in the background of another card but is not identified as the subject of the card would not violate the "exclusive" provisions in the contracts I have seen ( Topps/ Bowman/Fleer), but I do not know with whom or if Staub may have had such a contract with some other company in 73 or what it provided. And it may be that there was no other contract and Staub simply did not sign a license agreement with Topps that year. If so, only he could pursue a violation of the use of his likeness, and trying to block production or seek compensation because he was an unidentified individual in an action card would have been a tough road ...which he apparently did not pursue, or if did was unsuccessful.

Bouchee was not a contract issue. He was pulled by Topps after a criminal related legal problem excluded him from playing MLB that year

Tomman1961 · #5 03-12-2012, 11:23 AM

ALR-bishop.
Man, you know your stuff. Thanks for the insight. Looks to me like you have seen some contracts? For me, it clears up the issue totally.I thank you. As a 12 year old Topps nut, and Rusty Staub fanactic, I was not happy with no 1973 card. Until I stumbled upon Agee. I think Rusty had more important things on his mind than to go after a thing like this. Again-thanks.
-Tom.
(BTW-and maybe for a different post-has anyone ever "claimed" to have had a 1958 Bouchee? as far as you know.)

ALR-bishop · #6 03-12-2012, 11:45 AM

Because his name does appear on one early checklist in 1958 ( he is a blank box in later checklists) I have been asking for some time if there might exist at least a Bouchee proof card. If it did exist it would be right up there with the 1960 Topps proofs or pulled cards of Hadley, Cimoli and Throneberry, or the 77 Jackson as an Oriole or the 67 Maris as a Yankee. I think if such a card existed it would have made an appearance by now. I have seen an article by a guy named Jeff Young on Bouchee ( it an be pulled up on the internet) that claims some such cards do exists, but he provided no picture of one and I have not seen one or personally know someone who has

But it would sure be exciting if one showed up, Tom. Maybe I can talk Bob Lemke or Keith Conforti into creating one of their famous cards that never were of Bouche

Bob Lemke · #7 03-12-2012, 02:20 PM

Al, I think at least one of the custom card creators has done a '58 Bouchee, or at least a front. I've got most of what I'd need to do one, but it hasn't risen to the top of my to-do list.

Bouchee was not prohibited from playing MLB in 1958, he just got a late (June 1) start due to his hospitalization and subsequent treatment.

In 30 years of daily professional hobby involvement I have never heard of an extant 1958 Topps Ed Bouchee card #45. I doubt that they were ever printed.